JAMIE BIRCHALL (Flames manager): “It was a good game, solid performances from both sides but just a shame we lost it at the end, conceding two goals in the last five minutes.

JAMIE BIRCHALL (Flames manager): “It was a good game, solid performances from both sides but just a shame we lost it at the end, conceding two goals in the last five minutes. But it’s one of those things, you can’t stop playing football until the end. We played well in glimpses. I was proud of them today, proud of the other team as well, because they’re a new team. It’s good to see all the kids playing well.”

BILLY CULSHAW (Cronus manager): “I’m happy. Mistakes cost us in the game but apart from that it was a good game between the kids and they enjoyed it. We’ve got a never say die attitude, that’s the way we’ve taught them. It shouldn’t have been like that though, they are good enough to win the game outright, but it wasn’t meant to be today.”

THE Scotland Road frost was thawed out by an eight-goal thriller on Saturday morning as Flames and Cronus shared the spoils in a fixture which provided drama from first whistle to last.

Both sides sat in the bottom three of the Scotland Road Junior Football League’s under-11s division prior to kick-off, but a lack of confidence was certainly not hindering either team.

In a lively opening, Flames went ahead through a fabulous 20-yard free-kick from striker Harry Wallage.

Almost instantaneously, Cronus showed the type of comeback spirit which was at the heart of their performance throughout as the side in blue and black were awarded a penalty.

Jay Nicholls pulled wide from 12 yards, but the youngster was to leave his mark on the day in far more dramatic style late on.

Cronus almost levelled again when a ball dropped for Jay Ankrih 12 yards out, but stand out defender of the day, Alan Briercliffe, threw himself to ground to block the shot.

A punted Flames long ball brought roars from the touchline as the ball bounced over the clutch of Jones and onto the bar, but Cronus’s blushes were shortlived as they set about levelling the scores with a swift right-footed shot across goal by Mark Twist.

Tied one apiece at the interval, both sides searched for a win which would drag them up the table; the result was a goal-crazy second period.

As in the first-half, Flames seized the initiative when Owen Evans poked home from close range after a series of ricochets.

Cronus then levelled with a powerful long range free-kick.

Twice pegged back, Flames couldn’t shake Cronus off, but the side in red pushed once more and after some superb wing play by Zak Woods, Daniel Kaid couldn’t miss at the far post and duly made it 3-2.

A jubilant Flames touchline lapped up Kaid’s finish, and the faithful tasted joy once more thanks to the brilliance of Evans.

A blocked clearance resulted in Evans latching on to a loose ball behind the Cronus defence and under pressure, the pacy striker took his shot on early from 18 yards to power the ball over the clutches of Callum Jones.

A superb mix of opportunism and finishing appeared to have carried Flames towards a vital three points.

But Cronus were determined in their quest to get something out of the game, and they were to be ultimately rewarded.

Twist notched a photocopy of his earlier strike as he raced on to a ricochet to beat the Flames goalkeeper to the ball and slide it under his despairing dive to make it 4-3.

And then, in a dramatic finale, Nicholls hit the byline for Cronus.

With players queuing up for his delivery, the youngster brushed aside any last minute nerves and smashed the ball through bodies and into the net from an impossible angle. It was an individual goal full of guts and bluster which was right at home in a fixture full of character.

OWEN EVANS: A jack-in-the-box throughout and alert enough to pounce on loose balls and make Cronus pay, the youngster bagged a brace on the day with his second showcasing finishing of the highest order Code zz140112JuniorX-03